


Great Expectations

by sanalayla



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-08
Updated: 2010-10-24
Packaged: 2018-03-02 07:12:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2804030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanalayla/pseuds/sanalayla





	1. The Test

 

_Disclaimer: The opening scene in this particular story is almost identical to a scene in "Ugly Betty". Those who are fans of the show will definitely recognize it! This is, of course, a Smallville twist on it  
. _

 

Lois put the cap back on the stick and then placed it on the counter. Nervously, she ran her hands under the water, scrubbing them clean with soap, with a lot more force and attention to detail than she normally employed. Her foot was bouncing with nerves and she felt butterflies in her stomach that had nothing to do with the lack of food in her system.

After thirty seconds of pacing, which felt more like a few hours of pacing, she stopped and reached out to pick up the stick. After all, the whole waiting three minutes was just a suggestion, right? Didn’t the science work faster than that?

Screwing her eyes shut, she picked it up gingerly, and then cautiously opened one eye to glance down at the display…

“LOIS!!” Lucy’s voice was louder than usual as she pounded on the door. “What are you DOING?”

Startled, Lois dropped the stick. With a muffled curse, she bent down to pick it up, calling back, “Just give me a second.”

“I don’t have a second! Hurry. NOW! You’ve been in there forever.”

Lois closed her eyes and glanced down at the stick. It was upside down, so she couldn’t see the display. “Look… just give me a moment, okay? Just another second.”

Another voice joined her sister’s outside the door. “Lois? Are you all right, dear?” Martha sound very concerned.

With a groan, Lois opened the cupboard under the sink and blindly tossed the test stick in. Then she pulled the door open with a bright smile. “Yes, I’m fine.”

Hurrying past Lois, Lucy made a face and almost pushed her out the door to stand next to Martha. The two women stared at each in confusion for a second and then Lois gave a wry smile, offering, “Looks we both had too much to drink today.”

With a faintly bemused smile, Martha shook her head. “All right, honey.” She gestured towards the stack of towels in her arms and moved past Lois down the hall. “I’m just going to put these in your room.”

Lois watched her go, waiting until Martha had disappeared into the room she was staying in for the duration of their visit. Then she turned her attention back to the door and knocked loudly. “Lucy, open up. Or I’m coming in.”

“Lois. You were in here for an hour. Just give me a minute!”

“No,” Lois shook her head, even though she knew Lucy couldn’t see her. “I need to come back in. I left something in there.”

“What on earth would you leave in a bathroom? There’s nothing here,” Lucy immediately shot back.

Before Lois could respond, Martha had re-joined her in the hallway. With a puzzled frown, she asked, “Lois? What’s going on?”

“Nothing, Mom,” Lois responded, in a re-assuring voice. Then, making a calculated deduction, she added, “I’m worried about Lucy. I think she’s… sick… in there.”

“Lucy, are you okay? Open up, honey.” Martha knocked on the door swiftly.

Lois heard her sister let out a groan and then the door opened. Lucy glared at Lois and then shot a smile at Martha. “No, I’m fine. I have no idea what my sister is talking about.”

Martha cast a suspicious glance between both sisters and then shook her head in exasperation. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I need you both downstairs in the kitchen to help with dinner. Come on.”

*

 

 

After an agonizing hour spent chopping vegetables and keeping up a steady stream of small talk with her mother-in-law and very distracted sister, Lois was finally able to sneak away to the upstairs bathroom. Quickly, she opened up the cupboard under the sink and knelt down to take out the test. And then stopped when she saw something that shot a flash of panic through her.

There were two tests.

Blinking a bit, she grabbed both of them and turned both in the direction of the results’ display. And then groaned out loud when she saw that one was positive and the other was negative.

Lucy chose that moment to push open the door and joined her by the sink. “Oh my God, Lois, what are you doing?” Lucy asked, in a frantic whisper. She closed the door behind her and locked it, her eyes on Lois’s hands the whole time. Her face went a couple of shades whiter. “Are you… oh… God… Did you take one, too?”

Lois rolled her eyes and put them both on the counter and then started to wash her hands again. “Yes. Is that what you were doing in here?”

“Yes. Apparently, it didn’t take me an hour like it took you,” Lucy retorted, in a grim voice, and then snatched up the tests. Closing her eyes, she let out a dismayed squeak and then dropped them both in the wastebasket.

Lois went to the towel rack to dry her hands and give her sister room to wash her own. “Why are you even taking a test, Lucy? You’ve only been dating Ron a few months. Haven’t you ever heard of protection?”

Lucy flushed. “What, you don’t ever just get carried away?”

Lois thought about it for a second and then shrugged. “Well, yeah. But I’m on the pill, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Clearly, your method seems to be working for you,” Lucy answered, dryly, with a gesture towards the wastebasket.

It was Lois’s turn to flush. “Hey. It’s not my fault.”

“Isn’t that what they all say?” Lucy replied, with a smirk. She pushed Lois away to dry her own hands.

“No, I….” Lois paused, trying to figure out how to explain that she’d been kidnapped the previous month and that resulted in her skipping two doses of her birth control. And since she hadn’t exactly been thinking about pregnancy when she’d been reunited with her incredibly relieved husband…. After a second, she just cleared her throat and shrugged. “Okay, you’re right. There are moments when you can’t help but get carried away.”

With a knowing look, Lucy turned to face her. “Thank you.”

“Does Ron know?” Lois asked, changing the subject, but also feeling very worried for her sister. “Did you talk to him?”

“No, of course not!” Lucy answered, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub. She buried her face in her hands for a second and then looked up at Lois. “I thought I’d get confirmation first. But… now….” Then, she frowned. “Wait, I didn’t know you and Clark were trying --.”

“We’re not!” Lois interjected. She put her hands on her hips and looked down at Lucy with a firm look. “Do not tell him. I need to know for sure.”

“Why?” Lucy asked, curiously. “I would think you’d want him here when you check the test. Isn’t this the sort of thing married couples do while holding hands or something equally gag-worthy?”

Letting out a sigh, Lois admitted, “I don’t want to get his hopes up.”

Of course, she couldn’t explain to her sister that they’d never really talked about it, because they’d both just assumed that it would be impossible for them to have a biological child because of the whole Kryptonian thing. And it wasn’t exactly at the top of their to-do list to figure out how to get past it in the first few years of their married life. She'd taken the pills more out of habit than the idea that she actually needed them.

But Lois knew Clark well enough to know that he loved kids and he’d probably be very happy at the thought that it was possible. And if turned it wasn’t? She didn’t want to be getting his hopes up just to crush them. Better to be one hundred percent sure first.

Lucy, being a person who understood keeping secrets, didn’t press. Instead, she just said, “Well, I’m sure it’ll work out.”

Lois nodded.

“So, what are we going to do?” Lucy asked, balefully. “Did you get any extra tests?”

“No.” Lois shook her head. “Just even getting that one was hell.” She’d gone to a pharmacy thirty blocks down, because she was too paranoid to go to the one near the DP, their Metropolis apartment or the one in Smallville. “What about you?”

“I figured one was enough,” Lucy answered. “They’re supposed to be pretty accurate.”

“Okay, well….” Lois thought about it for a second. “You need to go to the pharmacy in town and get a couple of new ones. We’ll take them again.”

“Why does it have to be me?” Lucy’s eyes widened with horror. “No way. You go do it. It was bad enough buying it the first time.”

Lois rolled her eyes. “Every single person on that street knows me. The second I walk in, it’s going to be Mrs. Kent, Jr. this and Mrs. Kent, Jr. that. They’ll tell Clark and his mom before I even make it back here.”

Lucy’s brow rose. “Um… Mrs. Kent, JUNIOR? Are you kidding me?”

Lois let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know. It’s disgusting. But they refuse to call me Lane-Kent. And if they call me Mrs. Kent then they get confused when I go into the store with Clark’s mom. So….”

“They came up with the junior,” Lucy finished for her. With a slight laugh, she shook her head, “Talk about Mayberry. I cannot believe Smallville is for real, sometimes.”

“Tell me about it,” Lois responded, wryly. She crossed her arms and prodded her sister. “So, what about it? You can go in and no one will know who you are.”

Before Lucy could respond, there was a knock on the door. “Lois? Lucy?” Clark sounded both confused and amused at the same time. He rattled on the locked door handle for a second. “Mom sent me up here to check on you.”

Both women stared at each for a second and then Lois hurried over to the door and pulled it open. “Um… hi,” Lois said breathlessly, looking up at her concerned husband. “What’s up, Smallville?”

Clark poked his head in and his lips curved up into a grin. “Hey, Luce.”

Lucy gave him a slight wave. “Hey, Bro.”

His brows furrowed in confusion, Clark glanced between the two of them. “What are you both doing in the bathroom?”

“Talking,” Lois answered. At the same time, Lucy burst out with, “Feeling nauseous.”

There was a silence, while Clark put his hands in his jeans pockets and gave them both a questioning look.

“I was talking to her to keep her mind off of feeling sick,” Lois explained, gesturing a bit with her hands to emphasize the point.

Clark’s brows rose skeptically and he nodded slowly. “Riigght. Okay.” With a slight eye roll, he added, “Ron’s here. And so’s the General. So whatever you guys are up to, you might want to wrap it up.”

With that, he turned and left them alone. Lois turned to Lucy and groaned. “The General’s here already.”

“And Ron,” Lucy added, her face turning an interesting shade of puce. “Maybe I wasn’t so far off with the whole being sick thing.”

“Look, we just need to get through this dinner. And then one of us will go the pharmacy... we can make up some excuse,” Lois instructed. “Piece of cake.”

*

 

 

“None for me, thanks,” Lucy said, as the General poured a glass of wine and started to hand it to her. “Not today.”

The General gave her a surprised look, but then turned to hand the glass to Lois.

Lois shook her head and said, with a bright grin, “Nope. None for me, either.”

At that, the General frowned. “Girls. This is a fantastic pinot noir. I brought it especially for tonight’s dinner. I thought you’d love it.”

Martha took a sip and chimed in. “Yes, you’re missing out.” She smiled at the General and added, “Fantastic selection, as usual, Sam.”

“Thank you, Martha,” the General responded, with a nod. He handed the glass to Lois, with a look that made it clear he expected her to take it. “I haven’t raised my daughters to turn down an excellent glass of wine.” He poured out another glass and handed it to Lucy, who took it reluctantly.

When the General had poured a glass for Ron, as well, he sat down. And then immediately raised his glass.

“I’d like to propose a toast before we begin, Martha,” he announced with a bit of a smile.

Martha nodded. “Of course.” She raised her glass of wine, as well, and the rest of the table followed suit.

“This is the second time we’re getting together for an Easter dinner,” the General began, his voice gruff, but not unkind. “The last time we did, these two had just started seeing each other,” he gestured towards Lois and Clark, who looked at each other and smiled. “And, now, four years later, we’re here as a family.” He cleared his throat for a moment, clearly not used to showing this much emotion. “Anyway. To an excellent wine. To family. And to Martha, for preparing this fantastic meal.”

Martha grinned and took a swallow of her wine.

Lois grinned slightly and then lifted the glass to her lips, pretending to take a sip. She saw, out of the corner of her eye, Lucy doing something similar.

“Lois?” Sam Lane looked at his older daughter sharply. “Is there something wrong with the wine?”

“Ah…” Lois glanced down at the red liquid and shook her head. “No. I’m just… not feeling well. So, really, I don’t think I’m going to do it justice.” She made a production out of sniffing a bit. “Stuffed nose, Dad.”

One brow rose as he surveyed her. “You sounded all right a minute ago.”

Before she could respond, Lucy coughed slightly and interjected, “You know, I think I’m getting it, too.” She set the glass down decisively and gave her father an apologetic shrug. “I guess tonight was the wrong time to open the bottle, Dad.”

The General looked at the two of them, clearly skeptical, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he focused on taking a bit of roast.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Lois turned her attention onto her own meal, even though she really didn’t have an appetite. Looking across the table, she saw her sister push her food around, apparently just as disinclined to eat as she was.

When she felt Clark’s gaze on her, she turned to look at him and saw that he was staring at her with concerned frown. He mouthed, “Are you okay?” And she nodded back at him silently.

“So, how are things at the Planet, Clark?” The General asked, before taking another bite of potatoes.

“Ah… it’s going well,” Clark answered, inclining his head a bit. “Can’t complain.”

“Heard you got another promotion,” Sam said, in a matter of fact tone, where it wasn’t very clear whether he thought it was worthy of praise or not.

“Yes, I did,” Clark responded, shooting a glance towards Lois, as though wondering when she’d told her father.

Lois shrugged back. If there was an opportunity to brag about her husband, she was going to take it. After all, it wasn’t like Clark was going to – he never did. Either as Superman or Clark Kent.

“That’s good news,” the General responded. And then, in a casual tone, asked, “So, now you guys are probably all set to start that family?”

Lois choked on a carrot and started to cough. A glass of water materialized in front of her and she took it from Clark, gratefully, taking a swig and trying to get her breathing under control.

“Dad,” Lois finally managed to get out, shooting him a dirty look. She glanced across the table and saw that Lucy had gone pale.

“What?” The General gave her one of those looks where it was clear he was trying to appear confused as to why she was annoyed with him. “It’s a perfectly legitimate question.”

Clark glanced towards his mother, as though for support, but Martha immediately took the General’s side. “It is a good question. I would love to know the answer myself.”

Clark’s brows furrowed in confusion as he glanced back and forth between his father-in-law and mother. “Um… well… Lois and I are…” Shooting a pained looked towards his wife, he grabbed her hand, as though for support. “We haven’t really talked about it….”

“Why not?” The General interrupted. “You guys have been married for three years. Known each other for years before that. What are you waiting for?”

At this point, Lucy came into the conversation. “Daddy.” She put his hand on his arm and gave him a warning look. She jerked her head towards Ron, who sat to her left, and pointed out, “You know, this is Ron’s first family dinner. Maybe we could hold off on the interrogation until the second dinner?”

“It’s okay, Lucy,” Ron said, reassuringly, and put his hand on her hers.

With a slight smile at Ron, Lois said, “Thanks, Ron. That’s sweet.” Rather pointedly, she directed the last part of the sentence towards her father. “But, really, my dad is moving on now.”

“Oh, he’s fine,” The General gave a dismissive gesture towards Ron. “The fact is that I want to see my grandkids in Westpoint before I die. That’s not going to happen if you and Kent keep dawdling.”

“Sir….” Clark shook his head slightly. “We’re….”

“You know, Lucy,” Lois interrupted, standing up abruptly, almost making her chair fall over in the process. “Let’s go check on the pie!”

Shooting to her feet, Lucy nodded frantically. “Yes, excellent idea!”

Without waiting for anyone to respond, both women fled towards the kitchen, leaving everyone staring at them in confusion.

*

 

 

Clark entered the kitchen and saw that Lois wasn’t there. Using his x-ray vision, he saw that she was out on the porch, sitting on the swing. Shaking his head slightly, he went outside to join her.

“Lois, what are you doing out here?” Clark went and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his and rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand absentmindedly. “I thought you guys were checking on the pie.” Curiously, he glanced around. “Where’s Lucy?”

“She went to go….” Lois paused and then looked out towards the field. “Um… she went to go pick something up from somewhere.”

Clark waited for Lois to expand on her explanation, but she didn’t. After a moment, he ventured a guess. “I take it that it has nothing to do with the pie?”

His wife turned in his direction and bit her lip, clearly holding back a grin. “Yes, Einstein. It has nothing to do with the pie.”

Ignoring the jab, he gazed at her for a second and then asked, in an even tone, “What’s wrong? You’re acting weird.” When she didn’t answer, he continued, “Is it because of what your father said? Because….”

“No,” Lois cut in. She untangled her hand from his and stood up, walking towards the railing. She turned to face him, her arms crossed. “There’s nothing wrong, Smallville. I’m just waiting for Lucy to get back.”

Feeling a flicker of annoyance, Clark stared at her for a moment. Did she honestly think he didn’t know her well enough to know when she was hiding something from him? “Lois,” Clark began, not even exactly sure what he was going to be saying.

“Yes?” Lois asked, her brow arching up. It was clear she was attempting to look as innocent as possible. And that just made Clark all that much more suspicious. “What is it, sweetie?”

Sweetie? Clark’s own brow rose in response to the term of endearment. “Lois,” he began, firmly, deciding that the direct approach was the best way. “I know you’re hiding something. I know you well enough to know when you’re --.”

“Clark,” Lois interrupted, taking a couple of steps back and holding up her hands. “Seriously, it’s no big deal. I’m just waiting for Lucy to get back and that’s it. Okay?” She cast him a sharp look and added, “If we needed to have a heart-to-heart right now, I’d have one with you. But we don’t.”

Mulling that over for a second, Clark reluctantly responded, “All right.” He wanted to remark on the obvious sigh of relief that escaped Lois’s lips, but he stopped himself. If Lois didn’t want to share, then no amount of pushing from him was going to make her do it.

Martha opened the screen door and peered outside. “What are you two doing out here? Where’s Lucy?”

“She went to go run an errand,” Lois explained, with a smile. “She should be back soon.”

His mother looked surprised, but didn’t question it. Instead, she just stated, briskly, “Well, both of you can come inside. We’re having coffee and pie. Lucy will join us when she gets back.”

Lois jumped to her feet and gave his mom a wide smile. Without waiting for Clark’s response, she sailed right past him into the kitchen. Clark stood out on the porch for a second and then shook his head, following her back into the house.

*

The pie and coffee were probably delicious, but Lois’s stomach was tied into such nervous knots that she couldn’t help but feel nauseous. Or, maybe, it wasn’t because of the nerves. Was it possible that she had morning sickness already? Lois tried to remember everything she’d ever heard about pregnancy and the symptoms.

Unfortunately, her knowledge was limited because she had a tendency to zone out whenever any pregnant woman happened to talk to her about anything related to babies. She grimaced at the thought. Now, she really wished she’d paid more attention and quizzed the women in great detail. But the thought had never occurred to her that it would be a subject she’d need intimate knowledge of. At least, not for another couple of years.

Almost unconsciously, her hand strayed to her flat tummy and she tried to imagine a tiny little being growing in there. She had thought the idea would freak her out, and – truthfully – it kind of did. But it was also, strangely, a little exciting.

She cast a glance Clark’s way and took in his profile. He was sitting next to her father, leaning in a little to the older man, as the General gave him a lecture about something or another. Clark’s expression was one of polite respect, as he absorbed everything her father was saying. Studying him for a minute, she took in his dark, wavy hair (a lock of which had fallen across forehead – he needed a haircut) and the way his glasses perched on his nose. They just barely masked how his features were perfectly chiseled in exactly the way Michelangelo must have envisioned when he first created David.

As though he sensed she was staring at him, Clark turned to look at her, his green eyes meeting hers for a moment. One corner of his mouth lifted up in a wry smile and the amusement was clear in his eyes. He probably figured she was focusing on him because he was talking to her father, and she was worried that her father was about to go off on Superman. Little did he know. Unable to help herself, she gave him a wide grin in response. He winked and then turned his attention back to her father.

And, in that moment, Lois saw a series of snapshots run through her mind, like a slideshow. A baby girl, with dark hair and piercing green eyes; chubby and smiling. A moment, on the beach, with a little girl, holding her father’s much larger hand as she stumbled to keep up with his steps. A teenager, petulant and cross, drinking milk straight from the jug while she talked a mile a minute about all the things that were wrong with her very young life, while Lois herself stood by and watched. A beautiful young woman, with long black hair, walking down the aisle on her proud father’s arm. It was as though Lois had known that young woman her whole life. And was just waiting to meet her. Ella Lane-Kent.

“Lois?” Martha’s voice cut into her thoughts.

Lois snapped to attention. “Um… yes?”

Clearly concerned, Martha frowned slightly. “Are you okay? You seem lost in your own world.”

Letting out a slight laugh, Lois shook her head. Little did Martha know. She’d been lost in a future world that may never even exist. “I’m fine. Just a story I’m working on,” Lois lied. “It’s on my mind.”

Seeming to accept the excuse at face value, Martha nodded.

Thankfully, the front door opened, and Lucy came in. She was clutching a brown paper bag in one hand and seemed startled to find everyone gathered in living room. Everyone’s eyes swiveled in her direction and Lois leapt to her feet.

“Lucy!” Lois exclaimed, with a bright smile. “Did you find what you were looking for?” Hurrying to her sister, she grasped her by the elbow and moved her towards the stairs. In a hushed undertone, she added, “What took you so long?”

“The pharmacy was closed,” Lucy shot back, in an annoyed whisper. “So, I had to stop at some random gas station on the way back. They only had one there and it looks it’s about twenty years old. I hope it works.”

“Only one?” Lois’s eyes widened as she glanced down at the paper bag. She reached out to grasp it. “Okay, I’ll go take it. You wait here.”

“I don’t think so.” Lucy gave her a look and tightened her own grip on the bag. “I’m going to go take it and you can wait here.”

Lois let out a deep breath. “Lucy. It doesn’t matter, does it? I mean, I’ll take it. And then you’ll know what’s going on. By process of elimination.” As she said this, she tugged on the bag.

“Right,” Lucy nodded, in full agreement. “So, when I take it, you’ll know by process of elimination, too.” She yanked the bag closer to her.

Resisting the movement, Lois rolled her eyes and hissed under her breath, “No way. I’m going to take it. I’m not taking any chances.”

The bag, not really created for this level of abuse, let out a loud rip in response to their tug of war. Neither girl realized what was going on until it was too late and the box was flying through the air back towards the occupants of the other room.

Letting out a choked gasp, Lucy reached out to stop it, but she was unable to catch it in time. And the box landed and then skidded to a halt right near a very polished, black boot.

Lois watched, with more than a little horror, as her father picked up the box and looked down at it quizzically. One brow rose as he took in the title and the description on the cover the box. His eyes widened a bit and he looked sharply over at Lois and Lucy, who both stood very still.

Lucy turned to Lois and the message was clear in her eyes. Save me. Do something. For decades, Lois had been the recipient of that particular look. And, as usual, she was unable to resist answering instinctually.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she stepped forward and plucked the box out of the General’s hand. “That would be mine.”

Martha had been looking very shocked, up to that point, but now her lips began to curve into a delighted smile. “Lois!”

“Lois?” This time, her name wasn’t said with delight. Instead, her husband looked decidedly un-delighted. His jaw was set and he was - rather unconsciously, she was sure – looking incredibly Supermanish, with his arms crossed and the stern stare. She’d seen criminals and members of the Justice League quake under that look. Thankfully, she was made of sterner stuff.

One shoulder lifted up in an apologetic shrug and she said, “Sorry. Um… I’ll be back.” Without waiting for a response from the very silent group of people, she grasped Lucy’s hand and hauled her up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.

Once they were upstairs, Lois thrust the box into Lucy’s hands and pushed her into the bathroom. “You go. Take it. I’ll be right out here.”

"Okay," Lucy agreed and shut the door behind her.

Lois leaned against the wall, right outside the bathroom, with her arms crossed. And thought about how this was going to be the longest three minutes of her life.

To be continued…


	2. False Expectations

 

_  
_

_False Expectations?_

  
  


Tapping her hand against her thigh, nervously, Lois considered knocking on the door to get her sister to hurry up. But then she looked down at her watch and realized it had only been fifteen seconds since Lucy closed the door. Even she wasn’t that impatient. Lois considered it for a moment. Who was she kidding? She totally was.

Lois had just lifted her hand to rap on the door when Clark came skidding to a halt right in front of her. Lois froze in place and then offered him a nervous smile. “Hi.”

Clark’s brows rose, as he took in her position and he frowned at the door. “What’s going on?” 

Deciding that it was probably best to just cut to the chase, Lois informed him, “Lucy’s in there. Taking the test.”

Before she could continue on to tell him about the fiasco from earlier that day, he responded, “Oh, that makes sense.”

Lois paused. “It does?”

“Well, yeah.” Clark’s expression cleared and he smiled. It almost seemed like a relieved smile. “I mean, obviously, you’re not pregnant. So, it makes sense that the test was for Lucy.”

“I’m… I’m… not?” Lois asked, feeling like she was probably being a little slow on the uptake, but she couldn’t help it.

Sticking his hands in his pockets, Clark gazed down at her with an amused look. “No, you’re not. I would know and, if you were, I’d tell you.”

Swallowing a bit, Lois asked him, “How would you know, exactly?”

“The heartbeat.” Clark looked puzzled, as though he was surprised she had to ask. “I’d hear two heartbeats.”

Almost involuntarily, her hand went to her stomach. “Oh,” Lois uttered, faintly.

Then, Clark tilted his head to the side a little and, a couple of seconds later, said, “Lucy is....”

At that, Lois snapped, “Smallville! Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop listening to people’s insides!” Lois shot back, irritably. “It’s… it’s….” Lois tried to figure out what it was, and then finished, “It’s rude!”

It was clear he was taken aback by her outburst. “Okay…. Sorry?”

Rolling her eyes, she went down the hall, a little blindly, to Clark’s old room, which was where they stayed when they were in Smallville. Clark followed her into the room and shut the door behind them.

Grasping her arm, he turned her around to face him. “Lois, what’s this about?” It was obvious he didn’t buy that she was upset over super-hearing etiquette.

Avoiding his discerning gaze, she tried to formulate her thoughts and what she was supposed to say. Truthfully, she didn’t even know how she felt, so it was hard to tell him how she felt before she knew herself. Lois hadn’t realized how much she’d been hoping the positive test was hers until she’d found out that it wasn’t.

Before she could say anything, Clark, himself, took a step back and guessed, “You thought you were pregnant, didn’t you?” Without waiting for her to confirm, he continued, “That’s why you didn’t drink the wine… and why you’ve been acting weird.”

Lois gazed up at him for a moment and then admitted, “Yes. I didn’t know, for sure, but I thought there was a huge possibility that I was.”

Clark shook his head. “I don’t get it. Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Well, I didn’t realize you were a walking, talking EPT,” Lois answered, only partly joking. “It would have saved me fifteen bucks and a thirty block walk, if I’d known.”

Clark gave her one of those looks where he made it clear he didn’t think it was the proper time to be cracking a joke. “That’s not what I’m asking, Lois. You know what I mean.”

“Clark….” Lois let out a weary sigh. “I just… I didn’t want to get your hopes up, if it turned out I wasn’t. I thought it was better to just confirm first and then --.”

“Get my hopes up?” Clark looked completely flabbergasted. “Why would you --?” He stopped and then shook his head. “I’m happy that you’re not pregnant. I wouldn’t want you to be.”

“What?” At that revelation, Lois took a couple of steps back, her mind reeling. “I don’t get it.”

“Lois….” Clark gazed down at her, searchingly, and then let out a deep breath. “It would be too hard, with the whole Superman thing.”

Since this pretty much went against everything she’d ever thought she’d known about her husband, Lois was having a bit of a hard time absorbing this. So, she answered, in confusion, “But you love children.”

“There are a lot of things I love in this world that I don’t have,” Clark replied, almost in a matter of fact tone. “That’s just the way it works sometimes.”

Lois didn’t have a response to that, so she kept silent. For a moment, the two just stood there, staring at each other, while they both tried to figure out where to go from there.

Clark was the first to break the silence. “Lois. Are you saying that….” With some hesitation, he finished, “Are you saying that you wanted to be pregnant?”

When Lois didn’t respond, her silence seemed to be enough of an answer for him.

Clark shook his head and said, softly, “I just always assumed you didn’t want kids.”

“And I just always assumed that you did,” Lois replied, her own voice barely above a whisper.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed up by Lucy opening it and coming into the room. Her eyes were red and it was clear she’d been crying. Her nose was a little stuffy when she spoke. “Clark, I know she’s your wife and all, but right now I need my sister. I’m calling dibs.”

“Of course.” Clark nodded, looking more than a little sympathetic. With a brief look towards Lois, he added, “We’ll talk about this later.”

“Can hardly wait,” Lois answered, dryly.

Clark rolled his eyes and moved past Lucy, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder as he left the room.

Lois crossed the distance between them and pulled Lucy into her arms, stroking Lucy’s hair as Lucy began to leak tears all over her shirt. “Shhh… it’s going to be okay. It’ll be fine….”

*

 

Clark watched Lois comfort Lucy for a couple of seconds and then, feeling like he was intruding, he closed the door gently behind him and began to make his way back down to the living room. He couldn’t help but feel that he was about to face a firing squad. And the firing squad was only going to be a respite if he managed to get through the interrogation first.

Sure enough, the second he entered the living room, the General barked out, “Well? What happened, Kent? Am I going to be a grandfather or not?”

Clark hesitated. What was he supposed to say to that? The General actually was going to be a grandfather, but it wasn’t because of Lois. He didn’t know much about having siblings, but he was well aware that it wasn’t his place to reveal Lucy’s situation to the General. That was between Lucy and her father.

And Ron. Clark glanced over at the young man, who was sitting on the couch with a pleasant expression on his face; none the wiser that Lucy was about to come downstairs and completely change his life.

“Well, son?” The General prompted, impatiently. “It’s not a hard question. Yes or no?”

Clark cleared his throat, uncomfortably, and rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah….”

“I think it’s better if we wait for Lois,” Martha cut in, at that moment. She was looking at Clark with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Shooting his mother a relieved look, Clark quickly agreed. “Yes, good idea.”

His feeling of relief quickly faded when she added, with an excited smile, “The kids probably want to do this right. They should tell us together.”

Clark’s brows rose at that. Wonderful. Now, not only was his father-in-law convinced that Lois was about to make him a grandfather, but his own mother had started planning the baby shower. He needed to put a stop to this before it got out of hand. Briefly, he considered running back up the stairs and bringing Lois back down. Then, he zoomed in his super-hearing and saw that Lucy was still sobbing hysterically, while Lois tried to calm her down. So, that ruled out that plan.

“See, the thing is,” Clark began, awkwardly. He paused, feeling all eyes in the room on him; he let out a little nervous laugh. “Um… it’s….” Before he could figure out how, exactly, to end that sentence, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Letting out a sigh of relief at the excuse to move away, he said, “Sorry. I have to take this.”

Stepping into the kitchen, he looked down at his phone and saw a text from Bruce.

_Need you in Gotham. Right now._

Surprised that Bruce – who was notorious for working solo – was actually reaching out to him, he strode back into the living room to let everyone know he was leaving.

“Where are you going?” The General asked, with a suspicious frown.

“Something’s come up for a story,” Clark answered. The lie tripped off his tongue easily. “A source. Unfortunately, this is the only time we can meet.” He cast an apologetic look towards his mother, who nodded in understanding.

“Go on, Clark,” his mother said. “Lois understands that your work always come first.”

Without waiting to hear what his father-in-law had to say about that, Clark nodded at Ron on his way out. As soon as he’d stepped out onto the front porch, he super-sped away, changing into his costume near the edge of the Kent property line.

Once in Gotham, it didn’t take long to hunt down his friend. He found Bruce perched on a rooftop, hidden by the shadows in the dark night. He floated down to the roof and said, in an amused tone, “What’s going on?”

“Thanks for coming.” Bruce stepped out of the corner, but still made sure he was covered by shadows. With terse nod in the direction of the building across the street, he explained, “Just found out that the Joker has something big planned tonight. In that building. I thought I could use some back-up, since I haven’t been able to figure out exactly what he’s got planned.”

Clark crossed his arms and nodded gravely. “That was smart.”

“Yeah, well.” Bruce moved past him and crouched down on the edge of the roof-top, using a pair of binoculars to view the roof across from them. “Just remember. My turf, my rules. You follow my lead, Superman.”

“I know the rules, Batman,” Clark answered, with a dry laugh. “Just remember that the next time you’re in Metropolis.”

Bruce didn’t respond to that, but Clark could see that he was smiling. “So, how was the family dinner? Sorry for interrupting.”

Clark thought back to the mess he’d just left behind. With a faint shudder, he said, “Let’s just say the Joker is an improvement.”

Fluidly, Bruce came to his feet and he considered Clark for a moment. Then, he nodded. “Good. Let’s go.”

*

 

Lois scooped up another spoonful of pie and ice cream and ate it, while she tried to focus on the paperback novel in her hand. Why was it that the book wasn’t compelling enough to keep her interest, but not boring enough to make her fall asleep? She was just trying to decide whether to go find the book on the history of the military her father had given her, when the kitchen door opened.

Clark walked in and Lois leaned back, taking in his rumpled clothes (he must have changed before coming into the house) and the fatigue etched across his face. His blue button-down shirt had definitely seen better times – there was a streak of dirt across one edge and he’d left it un-tucked over his black slacks. He’d left the tie and jacket somewhere and that meant he’d go back later to get them. Lois had a feeling she’d be taking another trip to the drycleaners that week.

“Hey.” He seemed surprised to find her sitting there. His eyes went towards the kitchen clock, where the time clearly read one in the morning. “What are you still doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” Lois lifted up her book. “So, I thought I’d read a little.”

Clark nodded and then sat down, wearily, on one of the kitchen chairs across from hers. With a slightly sardonic smile, he indicated towards her plate. “And you thought that eating a ton of sugar was going to help relax you?”

Glancing down at the pie and ice cream, she realized he had a point. Shoving it towards him, she said, wryly, “Fine, wise-ass. You take it. I was pretty much done, anyway.”

Clark contemplated the pie for a minute and then shrugged. Pulling it closer to him, he took a bite. After a moment of companionable silence, he asked, “So, how was it after I left?”

“Before or after my father went off on a tirade about how the wrong daughter got knocked up?” Lois asked, in a dry tone.

Clark winced. “I’m sorry.”

Lois lifted one shoulder in a negligent shrug. “Don’t be.” Then, she added, flippantly, “Lucy and I have so much experience disappointing the General one at a time that we consider it a point of pride when we can do it simultaneously. It’s so much more efficient that way.”

Clark kept silent, but he gave her an appraising look. It was clear that he wasn’t buying her casual tone. But, being Clark, he didn’t question her. He never pressed her on the issue of her family and he didn’t make an exception in this case.

“Still,” he said, finally. “I should have been there.”

“Well, you were off saving the world or something equally irresponsible like that,” Lois countered, in a teasing tone. “What were you doing, anyway?”

“I was in Gotham.” Clark swallowed a bit of the pie and added, succinctly, “I was helping Bruce with something.”

Lois waited, but he didn’t expand on his explanation. That meant this was going to be one of those adventures he didn’t think she needed to be privy to the details of. And that was fine with her. She’d figured out a long time ago that it was better for her to not have intimate knowledge of all the things he went through on a daily basis. Lois thought she’d probably never be able to sleep a wink again if she did.

So, with a shrug, Lois just said, “How’s he doing?”

“Fine.”

“Great.”

The two stared at each other across the table for a minute and then Clark sighed, pushing away the plate. “Lois. We should probably talk.”

“Smallville….” Lois studied him for a second and then shook her head decisively. “You’re exhausted. You should go to bed. We can talk tomorrow.”

“No,” Clark insisted. “We should talk now. As it is, it’s not going to be a long conversation.”

“Oh,” One brow rose, as Lois felt her hackles raise. “It’s not?”

Clark blinked and then, seeming to realize how it came out, hastily corrected, “No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what do you mean, Clark?” Lois asked, still unable to wrap her mind around the idea that her husband – possibly the planet’s most loving person – didn’t seem to want any children to share that love with. “I really don’t know how I’m supposed to react to your stance on this.”

“Right back at you,” Clark retorted. “Lois, I’ve seen you break out in hives just passing a toy store. Since when did you decide you wanted to have a kid?”

Well, that was an interesting question. Lois tried to figure out the answer and then said, honestly, “I never thought it was an option not to have one.” At his blank look, she explained, “Well, I mean, isn’t it all part of the plan? You get a great job, meet the perfect guy, get the dog. Next thing you know, you’ve got a white picket fence and an SUV with bumper stickers about honor roll. I just assumed we were following the typical pattern.”

“I’m not….” Clark paused and then said, gently, “I’m not typical, Lois.”

“Well, we don’t know for a fact that you’re untypical,” Lois countered. “We haven’t really explored that, have we?”

Clark gave her a look of confusion and then let out a slight laugh. “Well, yeah, there’s that. But I meant more… I meant Superman. I meant my life.”

“What about it?” Even as she asked the question, she knew what was coming next.

Sure enough, he said, “It’s too dangerous. I’d never be able to live with myself if something happened. Anyone could use my child to get to me and --.”

“Clark,” Lois interrupted. “You’re not the only person in the universe with a high risk job. Amazingly, people in law enforcement manage to procreate all the time.”

“Lois, I’m not the same as some cop somewhere,” Clark answered, tersely. “Do you know what I just did tonight? I went in to back Bruce up against the Joker. And things didn’t go as well as we’d planned, because the Joker happened to have a supply of Kryptonite there. We both barely got out alive.”

Horror stricken, Lois’s hand went to her throat. Taking a deep breath, she tried to school her emotions so she didn’t show him how freaked out she was. Everything in her wanted to jump up and give him a hug, but she didn’t let herself get up. Because if she did, she’d be proving his point. And, Lord knows, she loved him but she had no intention of letting him prove his point.

So, after a second, she said, evenly, “That sucks.”

He gave her a dry look. “Yes, it kind of did.”

“But, look, you’re fine,” Lois pointed out, in a pragmatic tone of voice. “Which just goes to show that you can have a dangerous job, but everything works out.”

“Lois, the whole time I was there, all I could think about was you.” Clark looked incredibly frustrated. “That I would never see you again and that the last conversation we’d had was so….”

“Clark.” Lois swallowed the lump in her throat and when she spoke, she knew her voice was a little husky. “Don’t you think that I go through that all the time? I never know if you’re going to come back. Maybe that’s why….” Her voice trailed off and it took her a moment to compose herself to add, honestly, “Maybe I want to have a piece of you. With me…. To make it easier.”

Clark was silent for a moment; then he said, gently, “It may be easier for you. But what about for the child? The kid will be half-Kryptonian, Lois. So, more than likely, he’ll develop super-powers under the yellow sun.”

“And?” Lois’s brow quirked up in confusion. “So, what?”

“Do you know what that’ll be like for him?” Clark asked. “To have his whole destiny mapped out even before he’s born? To know that he has no choice but to become Superman?” Clark looked at her for a moment, his eyes a stormy swirl of green and blue. “I lived through that, Lois. I’m not going to do that to my own child.”

“Whoa!” Lois held up a hand, to halt the progression of his thoughts. “Back the truck up here. First of all, it could very well be a girl. What’s up with all the ‘hes’?” Clark rolled his eyes and she ignored him. “And as far as the whole destiny thing is concerned. Well, that’s a load of crap. What, am I going to stick a pen and blackberry in the kid’s hand the second it’s born? Of course not. So why would we force the kid to become the next Superman?” Then she paused and added, pointedly, “Or Superwoman as the case may be.”

“It won’t matter if we want to or not,” Clark answered, with a frustrated sigh. “The world will expect it. And no one can have those kinds of powers and not feel a sense of obligation. And that obligation can be crushing, at times.”

“Oh, Smallville….” Lois stared at him, helplessly, for a moment. She never quite knew how to respond when he said stuff like that.

Clearly thinking he’d made his point, Clark stood up. Gazing down on at her, he stated, in a firm tone, “Lois, I’m not changing my mind on this.”

Lois met his eyes calmly and considered him for a moment. And, then, stood up herself. Stepping closer to him, she patted his cheek, as her lips curved into a mischievous smile, “Never let it be said that Lois Lane backs down from a challenge.”

Without waiting for his response, she moved past him and grabbed her jacket on the way out. For all her bravado, she definitely needed a long walk to clear her mind and figure out exactly what she was going to do next.

To be continued...


	3. Possibilities

 

 

_  
_

_Possibilities_

  
Given Lois’s final words on the subject, Clark kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Lois to bring up the topic of having a child. But, since the next few months went by in relative peace – their lives were set at the usual, frantic pace – and Lois never brought it up again, he figured that the subject had been completely shelved by implicit agreement.

Relieved by this, Clark didn’t mention it, either. He guessed that Lois had given his words some thought and decided she agreed with him. In typical Lois style, she probably didn’t feel the need to admit out loud that he’d been right. As things went, he didn’t need to hear she was right; he just wanted Lois to believe it. And it really appeared she did.

That misconception came crashing down around him on a hot, summer afternoon at the Daily Planet. It was an abnormally slow news day, and everyone was a little antsy, since it was Friday afternoon and the sunny weather beckoned from outside. Even Clark was considering whether he should convince Lois to head back home and get a head start on the weekend.

Just as he decided to make the suggestion, she shot up from her desk and came into his office, which was right across from hers. “Smallville!”

As Lois hopped onto his desk and crossed her legs, Clark leaned back and raised a brow. “Yes?”

Slowly, his eyes travelled down the length of her body. In deference to the heat, she’d opted to forego the stalkings under her tight, black mini-skirt. And she’d taken off her jacket, so all she wore was her sleeveless, white silk shirt. Her hair was up in a loose chignon and her skin was a flushed a little pink due to the lack of decent air-conditioning at the DP.

Lois seemed completely oblivious to his perusal. “Clark, what’s your schedule like for the next….” She glanced down at her watch and then back up at him. “… hour?”

Mesmerized by how her foot swung back and forth, his eyes fixed on her strappy high heels, he could only utter, a bit incoherently, “Hhhmm… nothing?”

Lois seemed a bit puzzled by that response, but then quickly shook her head. She grinned and then jumped off the desk. “Great. Come with me.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, leading him out into the hallway and to the stairs.

Even though he was curious, Clark followed her without asking any questions. He’d learned a long time that – with Lois – it was better to go with the flow, sometimes.

When she finally led him into the second floor conference room, and then closed the door behind them, he looked around and said, dryly, “Should I ask why we’re here? Let me guess. It’s a surprise.”

Knowing full well that he had mixed feelings about her surprises, she made a face. Without answering, she turned away and focused on hitting the switches that controlled the shades and the lighting. She was closing them all off and dimming the lights.

At that point, he couldn’t help but go up to her and he grasped her waist, pulling her back against him. Leaning down, he murmured against her neck, “I was going to suggest we go home, but I guess this works, too.”

Lois let out a startled gasp and then started laughing. “No, that’s not what this --.” Turning in his arms, she looked up and shook her head in exasperation. “Even Superman has a one-track mind. Typical.”

“Hey!” Clark answered, indignantly. “It’s your fault. You came into my office, and then you drag me down here… especially looking like that.” He cast a meaningful look in the direction of her skirt.

Lois glanced down and then back up at him, her eyebrow quirked. “Oh, so it’s my skirt’s fault? Like I said: typical.”

“To be fair, your legs played a part, too,” Clark replied, in a mock-serious tone.

In response, she pushed him back until he was sitting on one of the chairs at the conference table and she leaned down, grasping the arms on either side. She swiveled the chair until he was facing the front of the room and he saw, for the first time, she’d pulled the white screen down that the DP staff used for presentations.

“Lois?” Clark frowned in confusion. “What are you doing?”

“I borrowed this place for the afternoon,” Lois explained, with a bright smile.

She grabbed a stack of folders from the middle of the table and slid it closer to him. And then she picked up a small black remote and began clicking on it. Immediately, a chart materialized on the white screen.

“That,” Lois said, pointing towards the graph, “Is a breakdown of the number of people in law enforcement thirty years ago. And this,” she clicked the remote again and another chart replaced the first one, “Is the number of people that managed to have children who – amazingly – reached the ripe old age of post-puberty.”

His jaw dropped in surprise. “What?”

“There’s more,” Lois declared, holding her hand up as though to stop him from interrupting again.

For the next twenty minutes, Clark sat in bemused silence while she went through about a dozen slides and rattled off one statistic after another about people who managed to have well adjusted, bright young children while still holding down high risk jobs.

At one point, he couldn’t take it anymore, and he interjected. “Lois. It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’re doing….” He glanced up at the screen and his brow rose as he calculated how much time it must have taken her to put this all together. “But where are you getting this stuff?”

“I have my methods,” Lois answered, with a slight shrug. And then she took another stack of papers from the middle of the table and slid it towards him. “That’s about twenty years worth of research on the psychological impact it has on children who have very successful parents. And how they deal with the pressure to live up to that.” She hopped onto the desk and said, thoughtfully, “Now, I won’t deny that there are some horror stories. But, really, Smallville, it’s not rocket science. I think we can avoid the usual pitfalls.”

Feeling overwhelmed, Clark started to flip through the stacks of papers she’d given him and the folders full of data. Since he was a speed-reader (in the true sense of the word), it didn’t take him long to get through everything. There was no denying that Lois had done her research well – not that it was surprising, given what he knew of her – but she seemed to be missing some key points.

“That’s great, Lois,” Clark began and leaned back in his chair to study her. “But none of these examples are comparable to what I do.”

It was clear she’d been expecting that argument, because she immediately responded, “See, that’s not exactly true. I thought about it, Smallville. When you consider it, you’re pretty much the same as any FBI agent who goes out on a drug bust. He’s up against people who are equal in size and strength to him. Maybe he’s got a bullet proof vest on, but he’s not bullet proof. They’re both human; they’ve both got equal chance to walk away.” Leaning forward slightly, she finished earnestly, “So, you may battle things like Darkseid and Doomsday, right? But – honestly – you’re so powerful that you have the same chance of walking away that the FBI agent has. Your fights are just on a… um… larger scale.”

Clark’s eyes narrowed on her face. “Really? Remind me to replay this conversation back to you the next time I leave for five weeks to go stop a war in Apokolips.”

Lois met his gaze and looked determined. “Sometimes, army wives say good-bye to their husbands for more than five weeks, Smallville.” Swallowing slightly, she added softly, “Apokolips or Afghanistan; superpowers or not. The level of sacrifice and heroism is the same.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Clark conceded, nodding a bit. Oddly, he felt guilty. Glancing down at the stacks of research in confusion, he thought about her argument. “I’m not trying to minimize what these people do. I’m just saying that I don’t know if we can look at our own situation in the same way.”

“Why not?” Lois asked, with a challenging tone. She crossed her arms and stared down at him.

Clark looked at her for a moment and then said, “Okay. Why don’t you let me share some statistics with you?” He knew he was wading into dangerous territory, but he felt like Lois just wasn’t understanding the impact that this decision was going to have on their lives.

“Bring it on, Smallville,” Lois answered, with a falsely sweet smile. “I’d love to hear them.”

“Forty-one,” Clark announced.

“What’s that?” Lois asked, clearly confused.

“The number of times you’ve been either stabbed, shot at, nearly drowned, kidnapped or thrown off a building since we first met,” Clark expanded, grimly. “It’s forty-eight, if I count all the times it happened in an alternate timeline or universe.”

Lois’s mouth was open in shock.

“Twenty-seven,” Clark continued, when it became clear she wasn’t going to say anything. “That’s the number of times you’ve had a concussion since we first met. Thirty-three… that’s the number of times I’ve had to visit you in the hospital in that same period of time.”

At that, Lois rolled her eyes and muttered, “Are you counting all the times I had to take you? And the times you lost your memory? How about that statistic?”

Ignoring her, he went on, “Eighteen. That’s the number of death threats you’ve received this past month. One hundred eighty-four, total, if we count the past year. And five.”

“Five?” Lois raised a brow. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“The total number of vacation days you’ve taken in the past two years,” Clark answered, gently. “And thirty-six. That’s the total number of weekends you’ve worked last year, alone. That’s not even including holidays.”

Blinking down at him silently, for a moment, Lois’s jaw was set in a tense line. “And what is your point?”

“My point is that you’re a workaholic,” Clark shot back, impatiently. “Even if I – just for a second – set aside the problems we’d have with my job; what about your job? At the rate you’re going, you’ll probably end up delivering the baby at the DP. And then write an article about it.”

“No, that’s not true,” Lois said, shaking her head emphatically. “I would slow down.”

“Are you capable of that?” Clark asked, genuinely concerned that she hadn’t really thought this through. “Your work is your life. It’s your identity.”

“I’m two steps ahead of you, Smallville,” Lois declared. She reached out and grabbed a folder and shoved it into his hands. “This is the HR guidebook. I’m entitled to three months paid maternity leave. And, then, I can actually work from home – on a part-time basis – until the kid is ready to go to pre-school.” Lois clicked on the black remote again and it pulled up another graph. “I already made some calculations. Given how much we have in savings, we can afford for me to work at half time and not have any long term financial problems.”

Blinking at the screen for a second, Clark glanced over at Lois. It was probably a minor detail to get hung up on, but he couldn’t help but ask, “Who’s going to take care of the baby while you’re working?”

“Babysitter,” Lois responded promptly. “But I’ll be there. So if the baby decides to start flying around the nursery, I should be able to catch it.” Looking a little anxious for the first time, she asked, “Um… that’s not really a concern, is it?”

“No, probably not,” Clark answered, absentmindedly. His mind was whirling with all the data she’d thrown at him. Which was saying something, because he usually sifted through more data than this on a regular day at the Justice League. Of course, he usually wasn’t analyzing data that would have such a huge impact on the rest of his life like all this did.

“Probably not?” Lois squeaked. He shot her an amused look and she amended, “Um… It’s fine. I’m sure we can handle it.”

At that, Clark let out a slight laugh. “Lois.”

Chewing on her bottom lip for a second, Lois gazed at him seriously. “Clark. All I want… I did this all just so you could see that it’s at least possible. I know you’re not just going to change your mind like that. I’m just saying….” Lois hesitated and then finished, “Just open your mind to the idea. That’s all.”

Considering that for a minute, Clark thought over everything she’d said. He couldn’t deny that there were some valid points in a lot of what she’d presented. And, he knew Lois well enough to know she hadn’t skewed the data in her favor. She’d never do that. So, he found himself saying, “Yes. I’ll think about it.” He added, in a warning tone, “I’m not making any promises, but I’ll think about it.”

Lois’s eyes lit up and she grinned at him. “That’s great!” At that, she threw herself into his arms, her legs automatically straddling him so she could settle comfortably on his lap. She kissed him and then pulled back to say, “Now, we could go home or stay here. What do you prefer?”

*

 

 

“A secret admirer will soon send you a sign of affection,” Lois announced, unexpectedly, from her end of the sofa.

Startled, Clark glanced her way and then saw the scrap of paper in her hand. She was reading out loud from her fortune cookie. “Well, he better remain secret,” Clark said, as he started laughing and set down his carton of lo mien to grab one of the cookies from the coffee table. Cracking it open, he pulled out his own and read it. “If you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain.”

“Hhhmmm….” Lois’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she popped a tiny piece of the cookie into her mouth. “Deep, Smallville. You should give that some thought.”

Staring at her for a moment, Clark said, “I should. It’s deeper than yours. Yours is just telling me someone out there has a death wish.”

“As if.” Rolling her eyes a bit, Lois got up from the sofa and started cleaning up the remnants of their Chinese take-out from the coffee table. As she headed into the kitchen, she added, “You would never take a guy down for hitting on me.”

Watching her for a moment, with more than a little amusement, he said, smoothly, “I don’t know. It depends.”

“On what?” Lois asked, quirking her brow in challenge, as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

“On whether there’s anything left by the time you’re done with him.” Clark laughed as her eyes widened. “Let’s face it; I don’t need to defend your honor, because you do it so well yourself.”

Shaking her head in an exasperated manner, Lois tossed a dish towel in his direction. He dodged it and then got up, walking towards her. Before she could move, he trapped her against the counter and picked her up. Setting her on the surface, he gazed at her for a second and then said, “I like that you take care of yourself. I think it’s… sexy.” He trailed his hands up her jeans-clad thighs, exploring the curve of her hips.

“Hhhmmm….” Lois wrapped her legs around him and shifted so she was merely two inches away from him. “Well… I always did think you’re a very sensible person.” Just as their lips were about to meet, a buzzing sound started coming from the counter, right behind her.

Letting out a sigh of resignation, Clark reached behind her and picked up her phone. “Here,” Clark said, handing it to her with an eye roll. There was a possibility he could get her to ignore the call, but it wasn’t worth the fight.

Lois made an apologetic face and then glanced down at the caller ID. With a confused frown, she answered the phone, saying, “Hey, future brother-in-law. What’s up?” Lois was silent for a minute, as she listened to whatever Ron was saying on the other end, and then she let out a horrified gasp.

Clark had been looking away but at the sound, his head turned towards her sharply. Her eyes were wide as she said, “I’ll be right there.” Then she shut off the phone and she said, her voice sounding a little panicked, “Its Lucy. There was a car accident. She’s at the hospital.”

Clark didn’t hesitate. “Wait here,” he ordered, stepping back. “I’ll change and then I’ll fly you there.” Without waiting for a response, he super-sped into their bedroom and became Superman. When he got back, he saw that she was in exactly the same position he’d left her in. Picking her up, he carried her out into the balcony. Worried at how silent she was, he looked down at her, “Lois. It’s going to be OK.”

Lois blinked and then offered him a tremulous smile. “I know.” She tightened her hold around his neck and said, firmly, “I’m ready.”

Clark nodded and then shot up straight in the air. He flew at the fastest rate he could fly without hurting Lois and when they landed at the hospital, Lois didn’t waste any time hopping out of his arms and running towards then nurse’s station. After a quick exchange with one of the nurses, she took off towards the far hallway without a backwards glance in his direction.

“Superman!”

Clark turned in the direction of his name and he saw his old friend, Dr. Hamilton, hurrying towards him. “Emil!” Clark said, forcing a smile to his lips. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Emil smiled, but looked a little nervous. “Um… to what do we owe this visit? Is there something I can help you with?”

Startled, Clark glanced around and realized that folks were looking at him expectantly. “No, I….” He hesitated and then decided to tell the truth. “Ms. Lane’s sister is here, so I was just giving her a ride to the hospital.” Always aware that people seemed to speculate about the nature of Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane, he added, quickly, “In fact, I’m off now to go find Clark. Bring him back here so he can be with her.”

Emil, who knew full well that he was Clark, nodded. And answered, loudly, “Perfect, Superman. I’ll let Mrs. Kent know.”

Clark nodded. And then flew towards their apartment so he could come back as Clark Kent. About fifteen minutes later, he entered the hospital again and used his super-hearing to pinpoint where Lucy’s room was. When he figured it out, he quickly went towards the room, being careful to stay at a human pace.

When he got closer to the room, he could hear the conversation between Lois and her sister. He hesitated when he got to the open door, because he wasn’t sure whether he should interrupt.

“Lucy, it’s going to be okay.” Lois tucked a few strands of hair behind Lucy’s ear, gently.

Lucy looked more than a little worse for wear. She had cuts and bruises on her face. And her arm was in a sling. Her voice was hoarse when she responded, brokenly, “No, it’s not. You’re just saying that.”

“Lucy.” Lois’s gaze was warm, but it was obvious she was upset. “When have I ever lied to you?”

Lucy stared at Lois for a moment and then tears filled her eyes. “Lois, I… I don’t know what to do… it’s all my fault.”

“Your fault?” Lois looked completely confused. “The car accident wasn’t your fault. I talked to the cops; the other guy was drinking.”

“No, I mean….” Closing her eyes, Lucy said, softly, “The baby. It’s my fault. This happened because I didn’t want it enough.” It was clear that making that admission pained her.

“Lucy!” Lois immediately shook her head. “That is not true. It doesn’t work like that.”

“No?” Shaking her head, she gazed up at Lois, clearly very upset. “You don’t know, Lois. How many times I wished this hadn’t happened. How many times I thought it would be so much easier if I didn’t have to --.”

“Luce!” Lois interrupted her, firmly. “No. I do know. Obviously, you didn’t plan this kid. You’re young; you and Ron had just started dating. No woman in her right mind wouldn’t have the kind of thoughts you had. It was totally normal. So, no, there is no WAY this is your fault. Do you understand me?” Before Lucy could respond, Lois added, “That’s an order, soldier!”

In that moment, Lois looked so much like the General that Clark would have laughed out loud if his heart wasn’t breaking for his sister-in-law.

Lucy, for her part, must have had similar thoughts, because she let out a slightly rusty laugh and said, “Understood… General Lane.”

“Good.” Lois nodded tersely. “Now, sit up so I can give you some water. You heard what the doctor said.”

Awkwardly, Lucy sat up and let Lois hold the cup while she took a few sips. Leaning back, clearly exhausted, she said, “Lo, can you stay here tonight? I know Ron wants to, but….” Her voice trailed off and she looked down.

Looking sympathetic, Lois nodded. “I’d like to see Ron just try and stop me.” Her voice was light-hearted, but her eyes looked pained. She cleared her throat and added, “Remember when we were little? And we slept together? You always used to sleep on me.”

“Yeah?”

“Scoot over.” Lois perched onto the bed and pulled Lucy in closer until Lucy’s head was resting on her shoulder, taking care not to hurt her sister’s arm. Stroking Lucy’s hair lightly, she murmured, “Go to sleep, Luce. Let the sedatives kick in. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Clark watched, silently, as Lucy closed her eyes, obediently. Lois brushed her lips across her sister’s head and he saw a single tear roll down her cheek. His heart twisted, but he didn’t step forward. Instead, he stepped back and closed the door gently. It was as though he’d just glimpsed a peek into a world that Lois used to live in, but he’d never been allowed to enter. She shared fragments, here and there, of her childhood, but he didn’t think that anything was a vivid as the picture he’d just witnessed.

Feeling somewhat at a loss on where to go from here, Clark found himself in the lobby of the hospital. There, he found Ron Troupe, Lucy’s fiancé, sitting morosely on one of the pink and aqua chairs. He looked a little banged up, but - for the most part - seemed fine.

“Ron?” Clark’s voice was soft, was he still startled the other man. “Are you okay?”

“Kent?” Ron glanced up at him, seeming to be a bit confused as to why Clark was there.

Clark answered the unspoken question. “Lois is here.”

“Yeah?” Ron looked down again and Clark saw he had something clutched in his hands. “That’s good. Lucy wanted her here.”

Clark gazed down at the man who was soon going to be his brother-in-law and tried to figure out what to say. The truth was that he didn’t know Ron all that well, even though they worked together at the DP. Ron had met Lucy through Lois, but Clark had never really spent any time with him. Lois knew him much better than Clark did; since she’d been helping Ron and Lucy plan their upcoming wedding.

Almost in an effort to have something to say, Clark asked, “What’s that?” He indicated towards the scrap of paper that Ron seemed to have a death grip on.

Silently, Ron handed the crumpled paper to Clark and when Clark glanced at it, he felt his heart constrict with sympathy. “I’m sorry.” The words were inadequate, but there was nothing more he could say.

“You know,” Ron started, taking the ultrasound picture back from Clark, “I never thought I’d be the sort of guy who carried pictures of my kids in my wallet. Taking them out; bragging about them. I’ve got friends like that and I always thought they were whipped.” He stared down at the black and white printout for a moment and then said, sadly, “The second I got this? My hand just reached for my wallet. Like, it was automatic.” Shaking his head, he stated, “There won’t be any more pictures, though. Not now. Six months, thirteen days. And she’s gone.”

Sitting down next to him, Clark put his hand on Ron’s shoulder in a gesture of comfort. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through. But it will get better. They’ll be other kids. Other pictures.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Ron answered, shaking his head. “Lucy won’t even talk to me.” Letting out a mirthless laugh, he said, “You know where we were coming back from? The furniture store. We’d just picked out a crib. Guess I’ll have to cancel that order now.” Standing up, he thrust his hands in pockets and went to stand near a window, gazing out sightlessly. “Probably should call Melissa and tell her to cancel Lucy’s baby shower at work, too. And then there’s all the supplies I bought for the nursery. I should return them. I hope they take the paint back.” As though he’d totally forgotten that it was near midnight on a Saturday, Ron pulled out his Blackberry and began dialing some numbers.

Clark leapt up and took the phone from him. “Ron,” he said, gently. “Why don’t you let Lois and me handle that stuff?”

Blinking in confusion, Ron said, “Oh.” His brows furrowed for a moment and then he said, slowly, “I guess that makes sense. Lois is supposed to be good at these sorts of things. At least, that’s what Lucy tells me.”

Clark nodded, even though he had no idea what Ron was talking about. It wasn’t like Lois had a lot of experience in this particular area.

It seemed as though Ron took Clark’s silence as agreement. “Yeah. Lucy would probably rather have Lois handle it, anyway.”

“I’m sure that’s not true, Ron,” Clark answered, immediately. “I just think Lucy would probably want you to focus on….” Clark paused and then finished, “… taking care of yourself.”

“No.” Ron shook his head. With a slightly rueful smile, he said, “I get it. I mean, she sees Lois like her mother, you know? It makes sense that she’d turn to her right now.”

More than a little bemused by that, Clark couldn’t help but ask, “Her mother? They’re only three years apart, aren’t they?” He’d known that Lois had taken care of Lucy when they were growing up – and definitely gotten a lot closer over the past few years – but he had no idea Lucy viewed Lois that way.

“Yeah. I was pretty surprised. I mean, the way Lois is at work. Who could imagine it?” Ron seemed to remember that Clark was Lois’s husband, so he hastily added, “I mean, she’s nice. When she wants to be. But the way Lucy talks about her? It’s something else.”

Sensing that talking about Lois seemed to be keeping Ron occupied, Clark kept the conversation going. “You guys talk about Lois a lot?”

“We didn’t used to.” Ron thought about it for a second and then glanced down. His hands were in his pockets and his eyes seemed to be fixed on a threadbare spot on the carpet. “But when you’re having a kid…. I guess you start thinking about your childhood. So, Lucy talked about what it was like growing up as an army brat. And a lot of her stories have to do with Lois.”

Nodding slowly, Clark replied, “I see.”

“Yeah.” Ron kept silent for a second and then added, “She has a lot of rules. Lucy, I mean. Made me promise we wouldn’t send the kid away for boarding school.” He let out a slight laugh. “I mean, like it was ever going to be an option. On our salaries? But she made me promise.”

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Clark nodded again. “Yes. I can see why she’d do that.”

Not for the first time, he wished he could back in time and undo the childhood that Lois and Lucy had to go through. Figure out a way to talk to a younger Sam Lane and make him see reason. But if it was one thing he’d learned in his own childhood – once something was done, it couldn’t be undone. Not without serious consequences.

“Yeah.” Ron said again. Then he glanced up at Clark and offered, “I’m going to go get some more coffee. You want some?”

Clark really didn’t want any, but he could tell that Ron needed to have something to occupy himself. “Sure. I’ll take mine with cream and sugar.”

“Good.” Ron turned and went out. And even though he walked right past a coffee machine as he left the lobby, Clark didn’t bother to stop him.

Instead, Clark let out a tired sigh and sat down on one of the chairs, settling in for what was sure to be a very long night.


	4. Gratitude

Lois looked over Martha as she entered the kitchen. With a slight smile towards her mother-in-law, she set the tray with the empty bowl and glass on the kitchen island.

Martha gave her an answering smile and asked, “Do you want some coffee, Lois? You look exhausted.”

“Yes, that would be great.” The fact was that she was exhausted. She’d been up all night, making sure she was there in case Lucy needed her. Her sister’s sleep had been fitful, with Lucy tossing and turning all night long. It had taken all of Lois’s persuasion skills to get Lucy to force down a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of orange juice. As soon as Lucy had gone to sleep, she’d made own way down to the kitchen.

“Here you go, hon.”

The cup materialized in front of her and Lois blinked in confusion at it for a moment before realizing that Martha had fixed the cup of coffee while she’d been lost her reverie. With a grateful sigh, she took the cup and almost let out a squeak of happiness when the hot, fortifying beverage hit her system. “Thank you!” Lois exclaimed, after she’d greedily gulped down three to four quick sips.

With a slight laugh, Martha answered, “You’re welcome. Of course.”

Once Lois felt like something resembling a human again, she turned to Martha and said, lightly, “I wanted to thank you, Mom.”

“For what?” Martha asked, with a slightly raised brow. She settled back down at the kitchen island, where she’d been reading the latest edition of the _Daily Planet_. “The coffee was already made, Lois. All I did was add sugar and milk.”

“No, not that.” Lois let out a laugh. “I mean… for Lucy. For letting Lucy stay here. There was no way she could stay at her place, and our place just has that one bedroom, so….”

“Lois!” Martha interrupted, before Lois could continue the long winded speech she’d prepared. “You don’t need to thank me.” With a stern look, she took off her glasses and focused her gaze on Lois. “You’re family. Lucy is family. How can you call me ‘Mom’ and then actually think you need to thank me for letting you stay here to take care of your sister?”

Tears sprung to Lois’s eyes and she quickly covered by looking down at her mug and taking a long pull of the coffee. There was a lump in her throat and the hot liquid helped melt it down enough so she could form a proper sentence. “Um… thanks.” Well, as proper as she could manage without breaking down into a crying, blobbering, mess.

Before Martha could respond, the kitchen door swung open and Clark walked in, making sure he wiped his shoes on the rug Martha kept there. He leaned and gave his mom a quick kiss on the cheek and then turned to greet Lois.

His gaze narrowed on her tired face and his fingers lightly touched her cheek as he asked, with more than a little concern in his voice, “Did you get any sleep at all last night?”

Knowing full well how worried he could get, even under the best of circumstances, Lois gave him a bright grin as the lie tripped off her tongue easily. “Of course. Slept like a baby. You know I get the best sleep at the farm. Must be the sound of the tractors, cows, and roosters.”

Clearly, she’d overdone it, because he took the mug straight out of her hand and set it on the counter. “Right. You’re going back to bed.” Firmly, he grasped her shoulders and began guiding her towards the stairs.

“Clark!” Lois’s tone was indignant, as she attempted to stop his man-handling. Since he was about a bazillion times stronger than her, it wasn’t working. So, she tried a different tack. “Smallville, I’ve had about ten cups of coffee this morning already. I’m way too wired to be able to get any sleep.”

That made him pause and as they stopped at the foot of the stairs, he considered her for a moment. Then, he said, decisively, “Okay, then let’s go for a run.”

“A run?” Lois squeaked. Just the thought of exerting herself beyond a trip to the couch made her eye twitch. “Why on earth would I want to go for a run?”

“Too burn off the caffeine. It’ll relax you. Then, you can come back and take a long bath.” When she didn’t answer, Clark added, with a cajoling smile, “I’ll come with you.”

"The bath or the run?" Lois asked, somewhat hopefully. 

Clark rolled his eyes and glanced in the direction of the kitchen nervously, probably afraid his mother had heard. "The run, obviously."  

At that, she almost snorted. “Really? You do realize that you can out-run me by thousands of miles. I’ll be a huffing and puffing at mile five and you’ll be bored.” She tried to keep the causticness out of her voice, but it was hard. She still hadn’t quite forgiven him for all those years that he used to pretend to be breaking a sweat and all those times he pretended she’d won their races.

Clearly, she hadn’t done that great of a job hiding her annoyance, because his smile widened. “Look, I’ll make you a deal. For every mile you run, I’ll do a loop around the planet. How’s that?”

Lois opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. “C’mon, Lois. We haven’t seen each other in days.”

Letting out a defeated sigh, because – of course – when Clark looked at her like _that_ , with his sinfully long eyelashes dipping down across his perfect cheekbones, as he turned his 1000-watt smile on full force, with his gorgeous blue-green doing that twinkly thing… well, how on earth was she supposed to resist all THAT?

“Okay. I’ll meet you outside in five minutes.”

With a triumphant grin, Clark nodded. “Perfect.”

***

Finally managing to get into an even rhythm, Lois felt the hard ground hit against her running shoes with each stride. She may not have admitted it out loud, but Clark had been right. Running and getting some fresh air was definitely helping her clear her head. Speaking of Clark, a blast of air whipped her ponytail over her shoulder and she saw a blur streak past her and then – suddenly – he was standing in front of her. As she jogged, he walked backward, so he was facing her.

“How was your world tour?” Lois asked, in between gasps of air. She winced and slowed down slightly, so she could conduct a normal conversation without sounding like she needed a respirator.

“I don't know. It went by in such a blur,” Clark answered, in deadpan voice.

Lois couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “Very funny. What was that, round five?”

“Yes.” Clark fell into place beside her and began running at her pace. “I’ll just run with you the rest of the way. You’ve only got one more mile to go, anyway.”

Lois cast him a sideways look, but didn’t say anything. In companionable silence, they ran together for another mile and then Lois stopped at the edge of what Martha and Clark referred to as the ‘back forty’. A long fence ran along the edge of the border that divided that Hubbard property from the Kents’ property. The fence didn’t do much in terms of privacy – it was a very simple wooden fence that consisted of two planks of wood – but it served to contain the Hubbards’ livestock on one side without fear that they’d enter Kent land.

Lois, back when she’d been younger, had also discovered that the fence was the perfect height to do stretching exercise in between her morning run. It had been years since she’d gotten her workouts through this fashion (her usual workout consisted of going to the gym that was a block down from the _Daily Planet_ offices), but she found the years melt away and her body immediately started to go through the familiar motions as though she’d just been at this fence yesterday.

Clark, who never had to stretch a day in his life, leaned against the fence and crossed his arms, watching her silently for a minute while she worked out the kinks from her legs and shoulders.

After awhile, she couldn’t take it anymore. “What? Something’s on your mind. What is it?”

For what it was worth, Clark didn’t pretend that he didn’t know what Lois was talking about. “It’s Rob. He wants to see Lucy.”

Lois let out a sigh and put her arms on the wooden fence, bracing her weight on the roughly hewn planks. For a second, she just stared out at the Hubbards’ green fields, where two of their horses stood, chewing on the grass. She wondered what it would be like to be a horse. Where your greatest problem was whether or not there would be enough grass to chew. There was, of course, the issue of having to deal with a bunch of dumb humans trying to ride you every now and then. But – for the most part – it seemed like a pretty sweet deal.

Knowing that her husband was waiting for a response and probably wouldn’t appreciate hearing about how she’d like to trade places with the neighbors’ horses, she just said, “That’s not really my decision is it? Isn’t it kind of up to Lucy?”

“She’ll listen to you,” Clark answered, in a low voice, as he turned, himself to stare out across the nearly empty field of his neighbor’s land. “I promised Ron you’d help him.”

Lois’s eyes flicked over in Clark’s direction. “Oh, Smallville. I wish you hadn’t done that. I can’t control Lucy. I’ve never been able to control Lucy.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

Lois smiled wryly. “You give me too much credit.”

“I’ve learned.” Clark’s eyes were warm as he smiled at her. “You can do anything you put your mind to, Lois.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Kent,” Lois answered, with a slight laugh. Then, she became a little a more sober as she thought about her sister. “I don’t know if she’s ready, Clark. For whatever reason, she doesn’t want to see him. I don’t know if forcing her is the right thing to do.”

“What if the situation were reversed?” Clark asked her, his gaze sharp as he looked at her searchingly. “What if it was you and me? Would you want me to go through what Ron is going through right now? Would you want me to go through it alone?”

“That’s different,” Lois shot back immediately, with a quick shake of her head.

“Why is it different?”

“Because… we’re different. We’ve been together for years. And….” Lois voice trailed off. She didn’t quite know how to describe it, but she couldn’t really compare anyone’s relationship to the one she shared with Clark. Sometimes, she didn’t even feel like what she felt for Clark was love. She felt like it was an intense bond that – if severed – would leave her completely lifeless. She knew that whatever her sister felt for Ron, it wasn’t anything even remotely close to what Lois felt for Clark.

Even though she didn’t finish her thought, Clark must have sensed the path her mind had wandered down, because he just nodded. “Okay, bad example. But the point remains… Lucy would probably feel better if she talked to Ron. He’d feel better. You’d get more sleep.”

One corner of Lois’s mouth lifted in a half-grin. “That’s what this is really about, isn’t it? You making sure I get sleep?”

“No.” Clark’s hand reached out across the expanse of wood and he clasped her hand. As usual, the mere touch of his hand managed to make her temperature spike up about ten degrees. “You didn’t see him at the hospital, Lois.”

Lois nodded. “All right.” The fact was that there had no point in arguing. There was never a time where Clark would ask her for a favor and she wouldn’t come through. If she could trust Clark with her life, then she could certainly trust him with her sister’s emotions. “Why don’t you have Ron come by this afternoon? And I’ll bring Lucy down somehow or another.”

Clark squeezed her hand slightly. “Sounds like a plan.”

As if of one mind, they both turned towards the Kent farm and began walking. Thoughts of exercising seemed to have fled from both their thoughts, because they kept a leisurely pace as they ambled back towards the main house.

“You know, I learned how to drive a tractor on this part of the farm,” Clark remarked, out of the blue. “My dad taught me on the tractor that’s in the barn.”

“The broken one?” Lois asked curiously. “The one you’ve been trying to fix as long as I’ve known you?”

“Yeah.” Clark gave her a sheepish grin, as he admitted, “Actually, I’m the one who broke it.”

“How?”

Clark stopped walking and pointed to section of fence that was broken, the pieces of the fence sticking out in jagged splinters here and there. “I fell off the tractor and went flying to the ground… my dad hit the fence to avoid running me over.”

“And that broke the tractor?” Lois pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side, analyzing the fence. “Not that I know anything about farm equipment, but what a wimpy tractor. I mean, it’s just a few pieces of wood.”

“That wasn’t what killed it.” Clark gazed across the field, avoiding her gaze. “I was afraid my dad was going to get hurt, so I grabbed the tractor and stopped it by hand. I almost ripped the thing in half.”

Lois stared at him for a moment. “How old were you?”

“Nine.”

Suddenly, a lot of the pieces of the puzzle began to fit. Clark learning how to drive on the ‘back forty’ with his dad. His father – and then, Clark’s – stubbornness to let that tractor go. Lois knew that – even now – he’d tinker around with it whenever he was visiting Martha at the farm. She always thought it was a Kent guy thing. A quirk. But now she realized that it was symbolic of their love for each other.

And even though she had promised herself that she wasn’t going to raise up the topic again, she couldn’t stop the next words that came tumbling out of her mouth. “Well, maybe you’ll be able to teach our son how drive a tractor here, too.”

As soon as she’d said it, she wanted to clasp her hands over her mouth, but she managed to restrain herself.

Silence hung in the air between them and then Clark let out a sigh. “Lois.”

“No, you know what? Forget it.” Lois closed her eyes briefly. “You told me you’d think about it and I shouldn’t have said that.”

Quickly, she turned and began walking towards the house again.

Clark followed, but didn’t say anything. After a few minutes, Lois blurted out, “But, you know, if you wanted to tell me which way you’re leaning, I would be okay with that.” Then, she added, quickly, “No pressure or anything.”

At that, Clark started laughing. “Subtle, Lois.”

“Okay, well….” Lois glanced over at him, helplessly. “You know that patience is not my strong suit.”

“No,” Clark agreed. “It’s not.”

She glared at him, willing him to give her an indication of what he was thinking.

“Honestly, I thought you would have changed your mind,” Clark said, unexpectedly. “Because of what’s going on with Lucy.”

Lois’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Why would Lucy’s situation change my mind?” If anything, it had further cemented in her mind that she was right. “Quite the opposite, in fact.”

“Why the opposite?” Clark asked, in a curious tone.

“Because… don’t you see, Smallville?” Lois stopped and turned to look at him straight in the eye. “You’re so scared that things will go wrong with us, because of our situation, but look at Lucy and Ron. They’re as normal as two people can get and something terrible still happened. It just shows you that we’re not that special. We’re just like any other two people… just trying to make things work, desperately hoping that everything goes okay. But, in the end, no one has any control over what the future will bring. So… why be too scared to just go for it?”

“It’s a little more complicated than that, Lois,” Clark answered slowly. He’d changed into loose sweatpants before their run, and now he shoved his hands into the pockets. “It’s not fear that’s stopping me. It's not the only thing.”

“Then what is it?” Lois asked, gazing at him searchingly. “Tell me.”

Clark let out a sigh. “You know the story I just told you about my dad? Well… I….” Clark gazed down at the ground and then finished softly, “I just can’t help but feel that if we have a child… they won’t be able to tell those sorts of stories about me.”

“Why?” Lois was genuinely baffled. “You don’t want to teach your kid to drive a tractor? Well, I get that. I mean, it’s a _tractor._ ”

“It’s not about the tractor.” Clark shook his head. “Forget it.” Clark started to walk back towards the house.

“No, wait.” Lois scrambled to catch up to him. She put her hand on his arm and turned him back around to face her. Her heart was pounding and she couldn’t help but feel like she was standing on the edge of a very important moment and she couldn’t – wouldn’t – pull a Lois. “Talk to me, Smallville. What’s going on?”

Clark stared down at her for a minute and then, as though he couldn’t help it, said in a rush, “I’m afraid I’m going to be a horrible father.”

The words hung in the air between them and Lois knew that Clark wished he could take it back. Almost gingerly, as though she were walking through a conversational land mine, Lois asked gently, “How do you figure that?”

Swallowing audibly, Clark turned away from her slightly and began walking back towards the farm. This time, Lois didn’t stop him and, instead, just kept up a steady pace next to him. When he finally broke the silence between them, he said, “I can’t help but look back on everything my dad did for me. And how he was there for me. And I know I won’t be able to do the same for my kids. I’m never there. I could die at any minute. And, then, they’ll probably… inherit… my powers. Look what Jor-El did to me because of my powers. What it took for him to ‘train’ me.”

Clark uttered the last words without any bitterness, but Lois knew full well what Jor-El had put Clark through, so she had enough bitterness for the two of them. But she kept silent and decided not to go into her usual rant about Clark’s Kryptonian parent.

“When I look at my dad – Jonathan Kent – that’s who I want to be,” Clark said, softly. “But I already know that’s not going to happen. I don’t have the luxury of raising my kids the way he raised me. He didn’t know what was in store for me, but I know. And, so, I’ll probably end up being more like Jor-El… and I don’t wish that on anyone. Least of all our own child.”

Lois didn’t know what to say. On the one hand, she thought he was over-thinking it. On the other hand, she was not exactly the leading expert on what it meant to have super-powers.

Finally, she just spoke from her heart. “Whose to say that you can’t be both, Clark? I mean, the best of both worlds? There were things you learned from Mr. Kent. But your Kryptonian father seemed to have some good points now and then. Why can’t you teach your kid to drive a tractor and then take him to the back forty to practicing flying, while he’s at it? Nothing’s holding you back.”

“I think that’s easier said than done, Lois.” His eyes were full of sadness as he cast his gaze over his father’s land. “My father tried that – the Kents did everything they could to try to get me to navigate both parts of my heritage. It didn’t always work.”

“Maybe.” Lois looked up at him and then pointed out, “My dad tried to be a mom and a father to us. And, trust me, that didn’t work. But, God knows, it’s not like Lucy and I think that means we’re screwed up for life.” Then, she paused and admitted, “Okay, well, sure, maybe we do. A little. Okay. A lot.”

Clark looked at her in astonishment. “What on earth are you talking about? You’d make a great mom. Just look at how you are with Lucy.”

“Thanks, Clark,” Lois replied, with an eye roll and a laugh, “But I don’t think so.”

Clark shook his head. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. “You don’t see it, do you? If only you could see yourself the way I see you.”

Lois didn’t respond, not knowing exactly what to say.

“You’ll make a great mother,” Clark told her, his voice and eyes full of sincerity and love. “If you want to know which way I’m leaning, the answer is that I’m torn. I don’t think we should have kids, but you’re the most loving and giving person I know. And I think any child would be lucky to have you for a mother. And I don’t want to be the reason no child experiences that.”

“Well….” Lois cleared her throat. “Right back at you, Smallville. I don’t think you’re going to be as good as a father as Mr. Kent was. I think you’ll be better.”

Before Clark could answer, Lois punched him in the arm lightly. “C’mon… we’ve been gone for over two hours. Your mom’s going to be wondering where we went. No need to give her ideas.”

With that, she steered him back towards the house and began talking about safer topics. Like how much she wished Jimmy would angle his camera more and whether or not they needed to get Perry a birthday present.  
  



	5. Great Explanations

“It makes no sense.” Lois stared down at the paper in her hand and then glanced back up at Perry. “I mean, I went through this with the coroner. This is not --.” She cut herself off when she saw her husband approach out of the corner of her eye. She quickly snapped the folder shut and shot him a grin. “Clark! What’s up?”

Clark glanced between her and Perry, who stood there with a deliberately innocent expression on his face. Lois knew that Perry was weighing the danger level of the assignment and had probably arrived at the conclusion that it made sense to keep Clark out of the loop. Just in case Clark caused a fuss and tried to get Lois to turn down the story.

“Not much,” Clark finally answered, in an even tone. It was clear from the glint in his eyes that he knew exactly what the folder meant – even if he didn’t know the exact contents – and he wasn’t thrilled. “What’s going on with you?” The last was said with a pointed glance towards the folder.

“Same old, same old.” Lois gave him a bright smile and then grasped his arm, moving him away from Perry as they walked down the hall back towards their offices. “I’m glad I bumped into you --.”

“I bumped into _you_ ,” Clark broke in.

“Whatever.” With a negligent shrug, Lois pushed him into his office. “I need a favor.”

“Okay.” Clark nodded and looked at the folder again. “Does it have to do with your story?”

With a nervous laugh, Lois put the folder behind her back. “No. It’s for Lucy’s bridal shower. I need you to pick up the cake and balloons. I’d do it myself, but I’m --.”

“Caught up in a story?” Clark’s brow rose. “Any reason why you can’t just tell me what’s in the folder?”

“No reason,” Lois replied, quickly. Her guilt must have shown on her face, because he just looked even more concerned. “Look, it’s just a quick day trip. To a crime scene. Not that big of a deal. But that means I won’t be around to get the stuff for Lucy’s shower, so could you help me out?”

Clark looked like he was going to argue, but when she gave him one of her looks – the ones she’d managed to patent over the years that reminded him that he shouldn’t push it with the over-protective stuff – he snapped his mouth shut. Almost begrudgingly, he nodded. “Fine.”

Satisfied that she’d covered all her bases, she grabbed a note pad from his desk and quickly wrote the details out. Then she turned around and stood on tip-toe to give him a quick kiss. “Thanks!”

Before she could slide out of the room, he grasped her hands and locked her in place. “If you get into _any_ situation that looks like it’s going to lead to you getting kidnapped, shot at, or thrown off a building, I want you to call me. Promise me.”

Lois studied him for a moment and then smiled. “Of course. I want a Pulitzer, Clark. Not a funeral.”

Blinking a little, Clark gave her a bemused look. “I don’t know whether I should be relieved you feel that way or concerned that the word funeral even entered into the conversation.”

“Relieved.” After another kiss, she left the room before he could stop her.

***

“Clark!” Martha came into the kitchen just as Clark entered, laden down with a gigantic cake and about ten balloons. “Let me help you.” She hurried up to him and quickly took the cake from him and set it down on the kitchen table carefully. “What are you doing here? I was expecting Lois.”

“Ah… Lois got caught up with a story.” Clark looked around and when he couldn’t figure out a decent place to put the balloons, he just let them go. They hit against the low ceiling with a soft _thump_ and swayed in place. “I’m helping her out.”

“Well, whatever the reason, it’s good to see you.” His mother came up to him and gave him a hug, her eyes full of warmth and love. “I don’t see you enough.”

With more than a little amusement, Clark pointed out, “We see you every week for Sunday brunch. That’s not enough?”

“Wait until you have children of your own, Clark. That’s never enough,” Martha tossed back at him with an easy smile.

Clark’s amusement faded and it was replaced with a pang. “Right.”

Martha must have seen the odd expression flicker across his face, because she immediately looked concerned. “Honey? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Clark glanced away and then said, “I still need to get more balloons from the car. I’ll be right back.”

When he got back, his arms laden with white and silver balloons, his mother was waiting for him, with one of her patient looks and her arms folded. One glance at her and Clark knew that he was better off just telling her what was on his mind.

“Lois and I….” Clark hesitated and then said, in a rush, “We may not have children, Mom.”

“Why do you say that?” Martha didn’t look surprised by the pronouncement, but it was clear she was worried. “Have you tried?”

“No, we’re….” Clark thought back to all the conversations he’d had with his wife over the past few months and admitted, “Lois wants to try. I don’t.”

“Why not?”

So, he spent the next five minutes telling her what was going on and how he was torn about having a child. He laid most of his fears and concerns at her feet, while his mother nodded in understanding.

“I see,” Martha finally said once Clark had gotten everything he was feeling off of his chest. “That’s a lot of thinking, sweetheart.”

He gave her a look. “You mean _over-_ thinking.”

Martha’s lips curved into a smile. “I didn’t say that.” She paused and then finished, “But I can tell you the way you feel is pretty typical. All couples think those things before having children. It doesn’t even end after you have children. Why… your father and I spent the first few years with you so worried that you were going to grow up and take over the world if we didn’t raise you right. We were convinced we were going to fail.”

Clark’s jaw dropped in surprise. “How could you even think that? You and Dad…you’re the best people in the world.”

“Oh, Clark….” Martha shook her head and then went to the stove to place a kettle on the burner for tea. “No parent ever thinks they’re doing a good job. Until our children grow up and they prove to us that we weren’t failures after all. You may have superpowers, but you still kept us up at night. We still worried about you every single second of every day. But I would never change that for anything.”

Clark kept silent and just stared down at the napkin holder on the kitchen island. Finally, he said, “I don’t know how you did it. When I think about what I went through when I was growing up – what that could mean for my child. How would I ever survive watching my own son or daughter go off to fight Darkseid? Or Brianiac? Knowing they might not come back?” There was a lump in his throat just at the thought.

“I did,” Martha stated simply, her voice soft, but also full of strength. “And I know that if I could do it, then you can, too.”

“You’re stronger than me, Mom.” Clark uttered the words in a statement of fact manner, with no guile. He truly did believe it.

Over the years, he’d seen his mother go from a housewife to a Smallville farmer to a formidable state senator. She’d raised the man who was Superman and he was Superman in large part due to her upbringing. The world saw him as the most powerful person in the universe, but if anyone asked Superman who he truly saw the person who was the stronger than him, he’d say, without hesitation, that it was the two women in his life. His mother and his wife.

Maybe that was why Lois was the one who felt they could actually manage to have children without it being a complete disaster. Because when it came to having the sort of strength that allowed you to take risks and just trust that it would all work out, it was Lois who left him in the dust.

“I’m not stronger than you, Clark.” Martha poured hot water into the mugs that sat waiting on the counter next to her. The smell of chamomile filled the air. “I just have more years of experience worrying than you do. So I know how to live with it.” She turned and handed him the mug and said, with a smile, “It’s a gene that kicks in when you have a kid. You’ll see it happen. If you ever decide to take that chance.”

“I think Lois was born with that gene.” Clark couldn’t help but say, with his own grin. “Or maybe it’s the lack of a worrying gene that makes her who she is.”

Martha had been about to take a sip of her own tea, but she stopped. “Well, I think Lois is in a different position than you, honey. She grew up without a real family. She moved from place to place. It makes sense to me that she’d feel like her life is missing something if she doesn’t have a child. She probably wants what she didn’t have.”

Clark thought back to what Lois had told him back when she had first learned that he didn’t want children. _I never thought it was an option not to have one. Well, I mean, isn’t it all part of the plan? You get a great job, meet the perfect guy, get the dog. Next thing you know, you’ve got a white picket fence and an SUV with bumper stickers about honor roll. I just assumed we were following the typical pattern._ Of course, it made sense that she’d look towards her future and want to create the ideal one the General had never given her.

“I know how she feels,” his mother said, unexpectedly. “You know that your grandfather disowned me when I married your father.”

Startled by the sudden change in topic, Clark blinked at his mother. “Yes. I remember.” He’d never met his maternal grandfather. He’d died when Clark was about ten.

“I remember, Clark, how I felt when we found out your father and I wouldn’t be able to have any children.” Martha got that look in her eyes she always did when she looked back towards the past. Clark knew she was thinking of his father and of private moments that she wouldn’t share with anyone. “I felt so lonely. I loved your father more than anyone in the world. But… I had so much more love to give. All I wanted was to take some of the love we shared and give it to someone else. Make them a part of it. Create the perfect family.” She focused on Clark and said, with a tremulous smile, “The day you came into our lives. It was like this hole in my soul filled up.”

Clark let that sink in for a second and then let out a sigh. “You think… you think that’s how Lois feels?”

“No, not necessarily.” Martha stood up and put her mug in the sink. “Lois finds fulfillment in her life in many ways. And she’s a much stronger person than I am.”

“What if I….” Clark then told his mother his greatest fear. “What if my child doesn’t turn out like you raised me? What if something happens and I do something wrong?”

Martha considered that for a moment. “You’re afraid that your child will have powers and may not use them for good?”

“Yes.” It was something he hadn’t even told Lois. That he knew what he was capable of and if he hadn’t been raised by people like the Kents, then anything could have happened. Instead of protecting the world, he could rule it. It was a line he chose not to cross, but what if his children crossed those lines?

“I don’t think Lois would ever let that happen,” Martha stated simply. “Even if you don’t trust yourself, you need to trust Lois.”

When he kept silent, Martha said, decisively, “Stay here. I’ll be back.”

Clark watched as his mother disappeared up the stairs, towards her bedroom. A few minutes later, she came back with a book in her hand.

“Your grandmother came to meet you before she died.” Martha flipped open the book to a place where a ribbon marked a page. “She regretted – towards the end – how things had happened between us. That she had stood by while my father let me go.”

“I don’t remember that.” Clark tried to think back to his early childhood.

Martha shook her head. “You were too young. About four years old.” Her voice softened and she looked a little tearful. “She was so happy to meet you. And so sad that she wouldn’t be able to see you grow up.”

Clark reached out and put his arms around his mother and gave her a hug. “I’m sure she was a wonderful person, Mom.”

“She was.” Martha stepped back and showed him the book. “She gave me this book that day. And marked this page. She told me that there would points in my life where you would do things that I wouldn’t understand. And she told me to read this and remember her. And remember that sometimes the best thing a parent can do is to just let their kids make mistakes and trust that it’ll turn out all right.”

Clark glanced down at the page and read through the contents quickly. A slow smile spread across his face. “You were a great mother, you know. You still are,” Clark told her, with another hug.

It was obvious the words made her happy, but she waved them off. “We all do the best we can.”

When Clark tried to give the book back to her, she stopped him. “No, you take it. Your grandmother would have wanted you to have it. And I think… I think Lois will appreciate it.”

***

“Why on earth did you invite Cat Grant?” Lucy whispered to Lois as she dragged Lois to kitchen. “Of all people?”

Lois kept a bright smile on her face for the benefit of the other guests, but responded in an undertone, “Because – for whatever reason – she’s a friend of Ron’s. How could I leave her out?”

“If there is anyone who could figure out a way, it would be you,” Lucy muttered under her breath.

“I know.” Lois nodded politely at the two girls who came into the kitchen looking for some more napkins. She handed them a fresh stack and turned to her sister. “Look, it’s just a couple of hours, right?”

Her brows furrowed, Lucy shrugged. “I guess. This is definitely a tamer party than I would have thought you’d throw, though. I mean, it’s at Mrs. Kent’s house.”

Before Lois could respond, she felt a burst of wind flow through the kitchen. Her hair brushed across her face and when she lifted her hand to push the bangs away from her cheek, she saw that she was holding a small folded piece of paper.

Lucy frowned. “That was a hell of a draft.”

“Old houses. It’s a thing,” Lois said, by way of explanation, in an absentminded tone. She started to unfold the paper and smiled when she saw, scrawled in Clark’s familiar handwriting, the words, _The loft. In five._

“Okay, well, I’m going back in there. After all, we still have to open the presents and do the stupid games.” Lucy squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, as though fortifying herself to get through the next two hours. Glancing back over at Lois, she asked, “Are you coming?”

“Just give me a minute. Just have to get something from the loft.” Lois took off towards the barn before Lucy could object.

Once she arrived, she took the stairs two at a time and saw Clark standing near the old futon they still kept in the loft. He was gazing out the window.

“Hey,” Lois said softly, with a smile. “What on earth would make you want to crash a wedding shower? Even _I_ I don’t want to be there.”

Clark turned to face her, his lips curving up into a smile, and his eyes were lit up with that light she always saw when he looked at her. “That is why I’m here and not in the main house. How many women do you have in there, anyway?”

“About thirty.” Lois shrugged. “Not all of them are Lucy’s friends. Mrs. K. invited some folks. A lot of them are from the DP.”

Clark nodded and then glanced down. Lois’s eyes followed the movement and saw that he held a book in his hand.

“What’s that?” Lois asked curiously.

“Lois… I….” Clark hesitated and then said, “I thought about it. And I’ve decided I know which way I’m leaning. If you still want to try, then I’m OK with us trying to have a child.”

Amazed by the unexpected and completely random declaration, Lois couldn’t help but just stare at him in complete silence for a long minute. Then, she ran towards him and flung her arms around his neck. Giving him a long kiss, she tightened her hold on him. After pulling back slightly, her lips still against his, she murmured, “Thank you. But what made you change your mind?”

Clark’s hands fell to her waist and he leaned back a little to look down at her, but still held her close. “You mean, other than your unrelenting stubbornness?”

“Yeah,” Lois said, breathlessly, knowing her eyes were sparkling up at him. “Other than that.”

Clark seemed to give it some thought. “I decided that you and I have too much love for each other. We have enough to spare. So, we should bring someone into the family to share it with.”

Lois’s brows rose at that. “That’s really… sweet.” Glancing down at the book, she asked again, “What’s that?”

“A book my grandmother gave my mom. She wanted us to have it.” Clark handed her the book, open to a specific page. “I thought you might like this.”

Her brows furrowed in curiosity, Lois took the book from him and read the page he was indicating. Slowly, she read out loud.

 

_Your children are not your children,_  
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.  
They come through you but are not from you,  
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

_You may give them your love but not your thoughts,_  
For they have their own thoughts.  
You may house their bodies but not their souls,  
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,  
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

_You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you._  
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.  
You are the bows from which your children  
as living arrows are sent forth.

_The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and_  
He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far  
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;  
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,  
So he loves also the bow that is stable.

  
Slowly, she raised her gaze to meet his. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s a nice reminder, don’t you think?” Clark asked.

“Of what?”

“That we can’t control everything.” Clark smiled and took the book from her and set it down gently on the table. Taking her hand, he sat down beside her on the futon. He brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. “I think you already know that.”

“Not always,” Lois admitted.

“There is one condition, though,” Clark said, in a serious tone of voice.

Wary by what was coming, Lois just asked, “What?”

“You need to promise to be more careful.” Clark shook his head, cutting off the protest that already begun to form in her throat. “I’m not telling you to stop chasing after leads – but you have to be open with me. You need to think before rushing off like you did today. It’s only fair.”

Lois stared at him for a second and then nodded. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

Taking a deep breath, she said something she’d been wanting to say for a long time. “Then you also need to promise me that you’re going to start telling me what you’re up to when you’re in Superman mode. If you go up against the Joker or something and almost die, then I want to know about it.”

Clark made a motion to say no, but she cut him off. “It’s only fair.”

“I don’t want you to know about that side of my life, Lois.” Clark looked troubled. “I want to protect you from that. I don’t want you to worry.”

Tilting her head to the side, Lois said, with some admonishment, “You don’t think I worry, anyway? Sometimes, it’s harder not knowing.”

“Okay.” Clark nodded and said, with a wry smile, “I’ll tell you everything… every tiny detail of every conversation I have with Bruce.”

“Let’s not go too far.” Lois laughed. “Just the highlights will be fine. I don’t think I want to know the inner workings of Bruce Wayne’s mind.”

“Yeah, you probably don’t.”

The two looked at each other, with identical smiles, full of joy. Lois leaned into him, to give him the barest of kisses. Just as he started to deepen the kiss, they heard someone clearing their throat very loudly a few feet away.

Clark jumped back and Lois looked over towards her sister. Letting out a frustrated breath, she made a face. “WHAT?”

Lucy’s arms were crossed and she shook her head. “No way you’re leaving in there to make out with your husband in here. They’re making me wear a hat made out a gift wrapping bows.” Lucy said that with the same level of horror someone would have used to describe a hat made out of fungus.

“I’ll be right there,” Lois promised.

“Now. You’ll be right there _now_.” Lucy added, in a somewhat desperate voice, “Cat said she’s going to start singing. And playing the piano.”

At that, Lois’s eyes widened in alarm and she jumped to her feet. “Okay, time to call it quits on this party. And start the real one.”

“The real one?” Lucy asked, at the same time, Clark said, “There’s another one?”

Lois shot them both a look. “Of course. You don’t think I’d make this your _real_ bridal shower, did you? What kind of maid of honor would that make me? This one was the one for show. The _real_ one starts in an hour at the hottest club in Metropolis.” Lois looked at her watch. “I booked their whole second floor, so we better get rid of the folks at the farm and then get to stepping.”

Lucy’s eyes lit up with delight. “Awesome. And here I thought that marrying Clark made you all boring and a goody-goody two shoes.”

Lois made a face.

Clark rolled his eyes. “I’m standing right here, you know.”

Lucy shrugged at him. “Sorry. But you know I’m right.” She grabbed Lois’s hand and began pulling her down the stairs. In a lower tone of voice, she asked, “You did get a stripper, right?”

“Of course I did. Hello, it’s a bachelorette party,” Lois whispered back, indignant.

“I’m still standing here and I heard that,” Clark called down after them, his voice sounding exasperated.

“Pretend you didn’t, honey,” Lois called back up. Turning to Lucy she said, “Just give me a second with Clark. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Quickly, she hurried back up the stairs and threw her arms around him to give him a final kiss good-bye. And, then, whispered in his ear, “I’ll be back home as soon as I get the girls set up over there.”

Clark pulled back to ask, in an amused tone, “What, you’re going to miss the strip show?”

“Who said I was going to miss the strip show?” Lois asked, her voice as smooth as silk. She shifted closer to him and, with slow deliberation, kissed him; running her tongue along his bottom lip. “I’m just going to be seeing a different one than the rest of the girls.”

With a slight giggle at the expression on his face and the way his cheeks reddened in response, she walked back towards the stairs. She couldn’t help but toss over her shoulder, “See you later, Smallville. You better wait up.”

When she joined her sister outside the barn, Lucy took in her big grin and asked, “What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing.” Lois knew she probably looked silly, but she couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “It’s just a great day.” Throwing her arms around her sister, she steered her back towards the main house. “C’mon, sis. Let’s go celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives.”

_The End_  



End file.
